Bidirectional inline power port

Abstract

A method and apparatus for bidirectional provision of inline power over data telecommunications cabling permits power to be received at a local powered device (PD) from remote power sourcing equipment (PSE) via at least one conductor at a first time and power to be provided by the local device to a remote device or another device at a second different time.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus, comprising:
 a first communication port for communicating with a first device; 
 a second communication port for communicating with a second device; 
 a rechargeable power source; and 
 a controller coupled to the first communication port, the second communication port, and the rechargeable power source, the controller being configured to:
 charge the rechargeable power source with power received from the first device through the first communication port upon a determination that the first device has surplus power; 
 enable the apparatus to receive power through the second communication port upon a determination that the first device is not delivering power to the apparatus, 
 deliver power from the rechargeable power source to a second rechargeable power source of the first device upon a determination that the second rechargeable power source of the first device requires a charge; and 
 selectively operate each communication port as (i) a power sourcing equipment (PSE) port, (ii) a powered device (PD) port, and (iii) a physical port which is simultaneously both a PSE port and a PD port. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a third communication port to couple to a third device; and 
 the controller further configured to deliver power from the rechargeable power source to the third device when the third device is a powered device (PD) requiring power. 
 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the rechargeable power source is used to provide power to the apparatus when the apparatus requires power. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising first and second cables, the cables comprising multi-conductor cables. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the multi-conductor cables are Ethernet cables. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the controller is further configured to selectively operate each communication port as (i) a power sourcing equipment (PSE) port, (ii) a powered device (PD) port, and (iii) a physical port which is neither a PSE port or a PD port. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein enabling the apparatus to receive power through the second communication port by way of a second cable and includes:
 determining an amount of power desired by the apparatus; and 
 causing the apparatus to draw the amount of power desired by the apparatus from the second device through the second communication port by way of the second cable. 
 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the controller is further configured to:
 detect a change in the amount of power desired by the apparatus; and 
 adjust the amount of power drawn by the apparatus from the second device through the second communication port in response to detecting the change in the amount of power desired by the apparatus. 
 
     
     
       9. A method performed in an apparatus including a first communication port to communicate with a first device, a second communication port to communicate with a second device, and a rechargeable power source, the method comprising:
 charging the rechargeable power source with power received from the first device through the first communication port upon determining that the first device has surplus power; 
 enabling the apparatus to receive power through the second communication port upon determining that the first device is not delivering power to the apparatus; 
 delivering power from the rechargeable power source to a second rechargeable power source of the first device upon a determination that the second rechargeable power source of the first device requires power; and 
 configuring a controller to selectively operate each communication port as (i) a power sourcing equipment (PSE) port, (ii) a powered device (PD) port, and (iii) a physical port which is simultaneously both a PSE port and a PD port. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9  wherein:
 the apparatus further includes a third communication port to couple to a third device; and 
 the method further including delivering power from the rechargeable power source to the third device when the third device is a powered device (PD) requiring power. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9  wherein the rechargeable power source is used to provide power to the apparatus when the apparatus requires power. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9  further comprising first and second cables, the first and second cables being comprising multi-conductor cables. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12  wherein the multi-conductor cables are Ethernet cables. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 9  wherein the method further includes selectively operating each communication port as (i) a power sourcing equipment (PSE) port, (ii) a powered device (PD) port, and (iii) a physical port which is neither a PSE port or a PD port. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 9  wherein enabling the apparatus to receive power through the second communication port includes:
 determining an amount of power desired by the apparatus; and 
 causing the apparatus to draw the amount of power desired by the apparatus from the second device through the second communication port. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15  wherein the method further includes:
 detecting a change in the amount of power required by the apparatus; and
 adjusting an amount of power drawn by the apparatus from the second device through the second communication port in response to detecting the change in the amount of power required by the apparatus.